Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1889 — Pearl Fisheries of India. [ARTICLE]

Pearl Fisheries of India.

IWre are extensive beds of pearl-oysters in the Gulf of Manaar, between India and th« Island of Ceylon. The oysters cover an area ot coral reef 5 miles long and about 2 miles wide and in some places are clustered one above another knee deep. It is estimated this year the Ceylon hanks will contain 200,006,000 and the Indian banks 900,000,000 pearl oysters. The divers go down to a depth of eight fathoms, or forty-eight feet of water, where they remain for nearly n minute and pick up as. many shells as possible, putting them into asmall net which is fastened to their belt They wear no diving dress, but have a large stone attached to one foot by a loop of rope. Who. l the diver gives the signal by pulling the rope he is quickly hauled up with .the net and its contents. The best diver* can dot remain below more than eighty seconds, and few are able to exceed sixty seconds; without “a breadth of fresh air.”